Miss Secretary
by danielie
Summary: When Neji hired a temporary secretary, the last thing he had in mind was some chick with two buns on her head who forced him to say please. AU. NejiTen.
1. A first impression

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. They're just fun to play with. This disclaimer applies to every chapter of the story.

NejiTen won the poll when I asked which pairing I was to write for next, and now I'm making good on my promise. I decided to take a seemingly cliché plot base and see if I could shake it up. I will do my best to update weekly, but please don't worry if a chapter is late. The story will be finished. I hope you guys will enjoy it as much as I do. :)

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**Voice message** received at **7:47 AM** on **April 6**:

"_I-I'm s-sorry, Neji—achoo! T-The cold I have turned out to be a v-virus. My d-doctor says I shouldn't return to work for two… two months. I'm sorry—I'll have an o-official notice sent l-later today…"_

Neji pressed End on his answering machine, silencing Hinata's voice. She had called in sick two days in a row, and now this. He glanced at the mass of papers that had accumulated on his desk without her to organize them.

"Told you so," sixteen-year-old Hanabi said from the corner of the room. She leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. The smirk she was wearing was an echo of her father's, and Neji had long since learned to hate it. "So, what are you gonna do?"

Neji put a hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. Hanabi was just _dying_ for him to screw up. As head of Konoha's Fifth Avenue branch of the Hyuuga Corporation, he couldn't afford to be without a secretary for so long. He hated having extra employees on his payroll but it couldn't be helped.

"I'll have to hire a temporary replacement."

* * *

**Miss **Secretary

By danielie

**Chapter 1: **A first impression

* * *

"_Now kick! Kick! Higher! Higher!"_

Tenten sat cross-legged on the floor. She clenched her fists on top of the wooden coffee table in front of her and shut her eyes as tightly as she could to block out the blasted TV. "Lee…"

"_One- two- three- YOUTH!"_

"ONE- TWO- THREE- **YOUTH!**"

Tenten's eyebrow twitched. She silently cursed Gai for giving Lee these god-forsaken Youthercise videos. Her overzealous housemate repeated the workouts louder than the instructor did on max volume.

"Lee," Tenten tried again. She resisted the urge to punch a hole through the television.

"_YOUTHFUL JUMPING JACK BARRAGE!"_

"**YOUTHFUL JUMPING JACK BARRAGE!**"

"LEE!" Tenten yelled and slammed her fists down on the coffee table, sending the newspaper clippings she had spread over the wooden surface flying into the air. Lee squeaked as he toppled over mid-jumping jack. "CUT IT OUT!"

Lee scrambled to find the mute button on the remote. "Tenten!" his already-large eyes were wide with innocence. "You have my most youthful and sincere apologies! I was not aware that my Youthercise bothered you!"

"Well, when you play the same videos nonstop for three days," Tenten complained under her breath. She relaxed her hands and sighed. "Never mind, it's my fault. This really is your apartment. I have to find a job and get out."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like," Lee said hospitably, pulling up his orange socks. He turned off the television and Tenten smiled, just a little bit. Lee was truly her best friend. He'd been kind to her, allowing her to stay for the past few months after she got her Bachelor's, but the studio apartment was really made for one. She could only crash in the sleeping bag jammed next to his bedside table for so long.

"I really need a job," Tenten said decisively, gathering the articles from the Classifieds that had fallen to the floor. She held one at arm's length and put a hand to her cheek, perusing it. The pay was meager and she didn't have the right qualifications. She frowned, laying it back on the coffee table. "If only I could find a good one…"

Lee's face lit up with recognition and he rummaged through his pockets. "I saved an article for you," he said, pulling out a clipping and dropping it on top of Tenten's pile. "I retrieved it from a newspaper a few days ago. I send my most youthful apologies for forgetting to give it to you sooner.

Tenten glanced at it, and after reading the first two words she grabbed it into her hands.

Hyuuga Corporation  
Personal Secretary

Hyuuga Corporation president urgently seeking to fill secretary position for two months.*  
Must have at least a Bachelor's degree and great organizational skill.**  
Above-average computer literacy necessary. Salary: $6000.

"Lee, this is perfect!" Tenten said excitedly. She clutched the article, crinkling the edges between her fingers.

Lee beamed. "How very youthful! You shall apply?"

"Definitely," Tenten said. Her Bachelor's was in History with a concentration in ancient weapons. It wouldn't be put to much use, but six thousand dollars for two months of work was incredible. She needed the money desperately, and the Hyuuga Corporation's name alone would add so much to her résumé. She looked back at the article, noticing the asterisk after the first sentence. Her eyes darted down to the fine print at the very bottom corner of the clipping.

*Applicant must bring a copy of his or her résumé to an on the spot interview.

She blinked. That was out of the ordinary, but she was professional. She could handle it. Her brown eyes went lower to the double asterisk.

** All interviews will be held until noon on a first-come, first-serve basis on April 9, inside the Hyuuga Corporation's Fifth Avenue branch office.

"That's today!" Tenten yelled. Her eyes flew to the clock on the wall: ten o' clock. She scrambled into the tiny bedroom, trying to find an uncrushed work outfit in the suitcase that held all her clothes. "If I hurry, the train should be able to get me there by eleven-"

"Let me take you," Lee offered.

Tenten paused with a navy blue blouse in her hand. "Lee, it's your day off, I can't just-"

"It would be unyouthful of me to allow my very best friend to venture late into an important interview!" Lee grinned, twirling the keys to his green Honda Civic around his finger. "I shall start the car immediately!"

* * *

Chomp, chomp, chomp.

Neji's hand was planted on his forehead. He looked everywhere except at the girl sitting in front of his desk, gnawing on her infernal chewing gum. She was _chewing gum_ inside his office during a job interview. Neji shot a million dirty looks at his Human Relations Officer, Kiba, knowing he was going to throttle him when this nightmare was over.

Chomp, chomp, chomp, _pop_.

The moronic redhead blew a larger-than-life bubble and popped it with her teeth. Satisfied she had accomplished that important task, she twirled a lock of her messy hair around her finger and said, "Can we work out a deal where I don't have to type much? It's really bad for my nail polish."

Kiba stared incredulously at her. She blew another bubble.

"This interview is over," Neji said decisively, getting up and pushing his chair under the table. "_All_ of the interviews are over."

The girl pouted. "But I haven't even told you my strengths yet."

"We do not require gum chewing services at this company," Neji said icily.

She blinked. "You don't?"

"Don't be such a drag," Shikamaru said nonchalantly when Neji moved into a violent stance. "Just finish the rest of the interviews."

Kiba nodded. "All these people showed up-"

"And now they will all leave," Neji said, pointing straight at the door. "You," he loomed over the girl's chair, "get out of my office. Shikamaru, go with her and tell all of the people in the waiting room to leave."

"But they're all the way down on the first floor," Shikamaru groaned.

The girl stood indignantly, hating that she wasn't the center of attention. "Well at least I get to ditch this loser nametag!" she screeched. The three men had been so shocked by her stupidity that they hadn't even read it: Karin was her name. "If it leaves any stains, I'm suing you!"

"How frightening," Neji said sarcastically.

Karin huffed, her high heels stabbing the marble floor, attracting the attention of many current employees. When she arrived at the elevator doors, she smashed the down arrow as many times as she could. The elevator doors finally opened, and the furious redhead nearly collided with another girl who had two brown buns on her head.

"I'm sorry," the other girl said hurriedly. Karin scoffed at the old navy blue pants suit this girl was wearing when she noticed an interviewee nametag: Tenten.

"You're wasting your time," Karin said. "He might be hot, but he's a real douchebag."

Tenten put the pieces together. "Neji Hyuuga?"

Karin nodded. "I went to an interview at Uchiha Incorporated, and even Sasuke wasn't mean enough to cancel all the interviews-"

Tenten gasped, rushing around Karin and down the hall she had been told led to Neji's office.

"I told you, it's pointless!" Karin called after Tenten, but didn't try to stop her. After all, if someone as beautiful as Karin believed she was didn't get the job, Tenten simply had no chance.

At the very end of the gray, well-lit hall was a black wooden door. Beside it was silver nameplate with Neji Hyuuga's name engraved into it. Tenten hesitated for a second, about to knock on the door when she heard three voices.

"Shikamaru, for the last time, go and tell the other applicants that these interviews are finished."

Tenten heard a sigh. "I'd have to take the elevator. That's too much of a hassle."

The first man's voice was annoyed now. "Kiba, you do it."

"Come on, Neji, there'll be some good candidates-"

"You ran this recruitment ad without my permission," Neji seethed. "Bring your résumé? On-the-spot interview?"

"I was just trying to make your life easier."

"Or did you just need it done quickly so you could run back to Hinata?"

Kiba's voice was flustered. "Well at least I care about her-"

Tenten's quiet knock on the door punctuated the conversation inside. There was a moment of silence before a man wearing a suit opened the door. He had short, spiky brown hair. "Who are you?" he asked incredulously. "How long were you out there?"

"My name is Tenten," she answered courteously, ignoring the second question. The eyes of all three men in the room were on her. "I'm here to interview for the secretary position."

"Leave."

Tenten looked across the spacious corner office. Three empty walls were painted a light gray. The back wall, painted a darker gray, had two potted plants on either side of an ebony desk. Behind that desk was someone Tenten had only seen in pictures.

Neji Hyuuga's face accompanied newspaper articles and magazine interviews alike, but he was even more handsome in person. He sat behind the ebony desk, staring hard at her with his piercing, almost colorless eyes. "I've cancelled the interviews. You will receive word downstairs shortly."

"Have you already hired someone?"

"That's none of your business," Neji answered, and Tenten took that to mean 'No.'

"All I'm asking for is an interview; I would appreciate the opportunity-"

"This is a private office, Tenten," Neji said, and Tenten was shocked before she remembered that she was wearing a nametag. "Get out."

"No!"

Shikamaru and Kiba looked at her incredulously. Tenten crossed her arms and stood her ground angrily. "I have respect for this company and I put out a lot of effort to come here! I think it's unfair of you to say you're offering interviews and then not even give me a chance!"

Silence followed. Tenten relaxed her arms, worried that her outburst had set her on even shakier ground. Neji hadn't taken his eyes off of her. Kiba watched him anxiously, half-expecting him to attack her.

"Sit down," Neji said. Kiba and Shikamaru looked at each other in disbelief.

Tenten did as she was told, sitting in the mahogany chair across from Neji's desk. She sat with her ankles crossed, her hands in her lap; the briefcase she had brought leaning on the chair's leg.

"Your résumé," Neji commanded. Tenten took it out of her briefcase and handed it to him. He read it silently. She was proficient in all of the necessary software. "History Bachelor's," he commented. "Why are you interested in the secretary position?"

"Well, the job market isn't exactly booming for us History majors," Tenten joked. Neji did not laugh. She remained professional. "The Hyuuga Corporation has a fantastic reputation and I think I would be an asset to the company. My History degree has taught me how to organize large volumes of information, and the grant that the Hyuuga Corporation gave to restoring the Hokage Museum shows that the company cares about preserving Konoha's history. Our values are in line."

She had done some research on them. Good. "What would you say your weakness is?"

Tenten thought about it. "I can be too persistent," she said. "I know when I want things done, and I sometimes push myself extremely hard to finish before deadlines."

Neji looked at her intently. Tenten felt herself being examined, but refused to be intimidated. She stared back at him from across the table, noticing every strand of his long, brown hair, and the contrast of the matching dark lashes against his colorless eyes.

"Kiba, add her to the company payroll," Neji said. He stood up, pushing the chair behind him and walking around the desk. "You start immediately," he said to Tenten. "You will be working very closely with me from now on, and I expect you to be as diligent with deadlines as you say you are. Tomorrow, I will give you some necessities for the job.

"Right now," he gestured to the masses of printed emails and envelopes on his desk, "you will sort these notices into three piles: Urgent, meaning that they need to be completed within the next week, Important, meaning within the month, and Short Term, meaning within the next three months. You have two hours."

With that, Neji put his hands into the pockets of his black suit and walked out of his office, closing the door behind him.

The three people left in the office were stunned. Tenten was the first to recover. "I got the job!" she said happily, jumping out of her seat.

"He hired you," Kiba said quietly. His voice rose with excitement. "He really just hired you! Congratulations!"

"Well, what do you know," Shikamaru said casually. Rising from his chair, he looked at Tenten carefully. He had never seen Neji change his mind so abruptly before. He walked up to her and shook her hand. "Shikamaru Nara, lead accountant."

"And Kiba Inuzuka, head of Human Relations." The spiky haired man smiled at her.

"It's nice to meet you both!" Tenten beamed.

"You too, but I don't envy your first task," Shikamaru yawned. Tenten blanched when she looked at the stacks upon stacks of paper behind her. "You have one hour and fifty-seven minutes left."

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Please review! :D


	2. Can be a lasting one

Thank you for your responses to the first chapter! I hope you all enjoy this one as well.

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**Chapter 2: **Can be a lasting one

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"Your workspace will be inside my office," Neji said as he led Tenten into the elevator, pressing the number 21 for the top floor. It was her second day working at Hyuuga Corporation. "I apologize for the lack of privacy, but working in Hinata's office might cause you to catch her virus."

"Hinata?" Tenten questioned as the elevator doors opened.

"My usual secretary," Neji explained. He stepped out first and she followed him down the hallway. "She's on sick leave for the next two months, and hence you are here."

Tenten nodded. She had been so happy about getting this job, but she had to remember it was just a temporary position.

When Neji opened his office door, Tenten noticed some changes to the large space. Neji's ebony table was now pushed to the left of the back wall. The potted plants that had flanked its sides were now in the middle of the wall, and a matching ebony desk was now to their right.

"That desk is yours," Neji said as Tenten walked over to the beautiful table in awe. He walked over to his own desk. The papers piled onto it were now organized thanks to Tenten's quick work yesterday.

"I can't wait to decorate it," Tenten said excitedly.

"Decorate?" Neji asked as if it were a foreign concept.

"You know, to add that personal touch," Tenten said. "Like…" she looked over at Neji's desk for an example, realizing that it was devoid of any personal items at all.

Neji stepped in front of his desk defensively. "That's a waste of time," he declared.

"It isn't."

"If something doesn't aid in productivity, it has no place in my office."

"There's no use arguing with him," someone said before Tenten could protest. Shikamaru had stepped in. "He's a real stick-in-the-mud."

Neji frowned. "Do you ever knock?"

"I did," Shikamaru said. "Maybe if you weren't so focused on Tenten here, you might have heard me."

"I'm giving her tools necessary for her work," Neji said strongly. He put his palm to his forehead and closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he walked to his desk, opened a locked drawer and handed Tenten a flash drive.

"That is The Flash," he said. Tenten turned the small USB around in her hand. It was painted in Hyuuga Corporation colors, lavender and white. "You will have it on your person at all times. Make yourself familiar with its contents. No highly sensitive company data is on it, but it does contain details on upcoming projects and plans that we will need at meetings. At the end of the day, copy all Hyuuga Corporation files you work on to The Flash."

"Right," Tenten nodded. "I'll keep it safe."

"Make sure," Neji said. He sat down behind his desk and opened his laptop. "Now, make me some coffee."

Tenten bristled. "Excuse me?"

"Two cups, black, and quickly. The coffee machine is over there."

When no response came from his secretary, he glanced upwards. Tenten glared down at him with her arms crossed.

"What is it." Neji's annoyance made it sound more like a statement than a question.

"Say please," Tenten instructed.

Shikamaru choked on his own spit.

Neji returned Tenten's glare with full force. "No."

"Then make your own coffee."

"This is part of your job," he reminded her. "Refusal to do a task is counted as insubordination."

Tenten stood her ground. "I'm not refusing to do it. I'd just like to be treated with some respect."

Neji was losing patience with her. "Tenten," he said through clenched teeth, "I got two hours of sleep and I have a meeting in ten minutes. Make. Me. Some coffee."

"I may work for you, but I'm still a person."

She's pushing it, Shikamaru thought. She's about to get fired on her second day of work.

Tenten's glare softened. "I'm only asking to be treated fairly," she said.

Neji was silent. He saw no malice in her brown eyes. He deliberated the situation and judged it as a waste of his time and energy.

"Make me some coffee," Neji requested as he looked away. His glare was now concentrated on a random part of the wall. "… Please."

Shikamaru was dumbstruck.

Tenten was overjoyed. "Yes sir!" she said as she headed over to the coffee maker.

"Is there a reason you're still standing here?" Neji asked pointedly before Shikamaru could comment.

"Not really," Shikamaru said, looking away. "I've finished making the adjustments to all of last year's balance sheets. I'm bored now."

"Already?" Tenten commented while she picked up two coffee cups. She knew that for a large company like the Hyuuga Corporation, making adjustments was a daunting task.

Shikamaru smirked. "Accounting is my thing. I can do it in my sleep."

"Otherwise, he'd never get any work done." Neji deadpanned. He typed a few more sentences on his laptop before he closed it. "Coffee?"

"Here you go," Tenten said as she put the two mugs down on his table. Neji took a sip of the warm liquid and noticed Tenten standing at the other end of the table looking optimistic.

"Well?" she asked.

"It's just like any other black coffee," Neji said.

Tenten frowned. "Can't you say thank you?"

Neji's eyes narrowed. His fingers tightened around the coffee cup. The drastic change in his demeanor made Tenten take an involuntary step back. "Don't push your luck."

Their eyes locked, and before Tenten could take another breath the door behind them opened. All three people in the room instantly fixed their eyes on Kiba.

"Whoa," Kiba said, holding on to the door handle as if he was ready to retreat. "Am I interrupting something?"

Neji was obviously irritated. "What do you want?"

Kiba gulped. His brown suit shifted as he stood up straight and looked Neji in the eye. "I'm requesting permission to leave early today."

Neji's eyes narrowed. "You also left early last week. And I'm sure you haven't finished sorting the personnel files."

Kiba's scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, you have a lot of employees." His halfhearted grin annoyed Neji.

"You're not leaving."

"What? Neji, come on," Kiba begged. When Neji didn't acknowledge him, Kiba turned to Shikamaru with pleading eyes.

"What a drag," Tenten heard Shikamaru mumble before he sighed. "Hey Neji. I've finished all my work for the day, so I can finish Kiba's filing if you let him go."

Kiba mouthed the words 'Thank you!' to Shikamaru and turned back to Neji hopefully.

Neji's eyebrows were drawn together tightly as he snapped his briefcase closed. "Leave," he said to Kiba, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. "Just leave. You're going to make me late."

Kiba spun around, ready to bolt out the door. Tenten walked to Neji's side.

"Take her with you."

Kiba and Tenten both stopped mid-step. "What?" Tenten asked. "You don't want me to go to your meeting with you?"

"No."

He expected Tenten to respond with one of her many indignant comments, but she merely stood there, looking hurt. The way he glared at her before had clearly done some damage…

The thought that he might have hurt her irritated Neji. "Just leave." He slid his laptop into his briefcase and walked out of the room, leaving the two cups of coffee steaming on the table.

Tenten stood still for a while. Both of the men who remained in the room watched her. "Did I..." Tenten wondered out loud, "did I just get fired?"

Shikamaru chuckled. "Neji isn't exactly one to mince words. If he fired you, you would know."

"Who cares?" Kiba grinned at her. He was already heading towards the door, his enthusiasm almost contagious when he proclaimed "We have the afternoon off!"

Tenten rushed to follow Kiba out of Neji's office. "Where are we going?" she asked curiously as they walked back to the elevator.

"Don't tell Neji or Shikamaru," Kiba said, "but we're going to see Hinata."

Tenten's interest was piqued. They exited the Hyuuga Corporation building and went out to the vast parking lot. "Hinata, Neji's secretary?"

"Hinata, Neji's _cousin_," Kiba corrected, opening the doors of his gray Prado. He shook his head when he saw Tenten's surprised expression. "Hinata Hyuuga is Neji Hyuuga's cousin."

"Neji never mentioned-"

"Of course he didn't," Kiba muttered as he slid into the driver's seat. "He doesn't care about her. Not even a quarter as much as I do."

Tenten climbed into the Prado's passenger seat, noting the loving way Kiba spoke about Hinata. "You like her?"

"No!" Kiba's response was too quick to be truthful. His entire face flushed bright red. "Well… yes. But it's hopeless. She's in love with someone else." He'd almost choked out those last words.

"It's not hopeless," Tenten tried to cheer him up. Kiba never even glanced at her, his hands clamped onto the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road in front of him. "I mean… if you really love her, you never know…"

"Drop it, okay?"

Even though she'd only known him for a few days, Tenten could tell that the sudden bout of seriousness was uncharacteristic of Kiba. "Besides, we're already here."

Kiba pulled the Prado through the front gate of an enormous mansion and down a long, white driveway. There wasn't much of a garden- the mansion took up most of the land space. Tenten was in complete awe of its tremendous size. Three storeys high, its walls were painted white with accents and trimmings of regal purple.

Kiba pulled the Prado into one of the six spaces in the car port. He unbuckled his seatbelt and parked the car easily; as if such a magnificent house wasn't out of the ordinary at all.

Tenten opened her car door slowly, afraid to step on the white bricks of the driveway. She had no idea how they even stayed clean.

"C'mon," Kiba called her, starting toward the mansion's front door. Tenten finally stepped out of the car and walked with him. A woman in a lavender nurse's uniform answered the door as soon as Kiba pressed the doorbell.

Tenten couldn't help her inquisitive nature and peered inside the mansion. The entire space was lavender and white. Priceless lavender vases stood on intricately carved white columns; beautiful highlights against the white walls. Certain walls bore a single lavender letter- N, S, E and W. Tenten guessed that these pointed out the North, South, East and West wings.

"You're late today, Kiba," the nurse said.

"Neji wasn't feeling very lenient," Kiba explained. "Tenten, this is Kaoru, Hinata's nurse. Kaoru, Tenten's my coworker."

"Nice to meet you," Kaoru said quickly, "but you have less than an hour. Hanabi is already here and Lord Hiashi will be back soon."

"Lord Hiashi? Hanabi?" Tenten asked as Kiba nodded at Kaoru, walking into the West wing.

"Hinata's father and sister. They're not exactly on speaking terms with her." Kiba's explanation was vague. "Hurry, we don't want Hanabi catching us."

At the end of the West wing, there was a dark purple door with a white H at eye level. H for Hinata.

Kiba opened the door without knocking, and a frilly canopy bed came into view. Sitting up against its white headboard was a startled girl who looked around their age.

Hinata's long, jet black hair made a stark contrast against her lavender nightgown and her deathly pale skin. Sitting up in the elaborate bed, she looked just like a princess. But what struck Tenten the hardest were her eyes. Hinata's nearly colorless eyes were exactly the same as Neji's.

"K-Kiba, you frightened me," Hinata stammered.

"Sorry," he said, rushing to her bedside. Hinata glanced at Tenten, and Kiba quickly introduced her. "This is Tenten. She's the temporary secretary."

Hinata smiled kindly. "Th-Thank you for covering for me. I-I hope N-N-Neji isn't being too hard on you."

"It's fine," Tenten said, stepping inside.

"Are you feeling alright?" Kiba asked Hinata, putting a hand on her forehead. "Do you have a fever? Is there anything I can do?"

"I'm okay," Hinata giggled. She took his hand- Tenten didn't miss Kiba's blush- and lay it in his lap. "You worry about me too much."

"Yeah he does," Tenten piped up. "You should've heard him in the car-"

Kiba blushed a furious red as he clasped a hand over Tenten's mouth.

Hinata laughed, but her laugh quickly turned into a bad cough.

Kiba leaned over her, patting her back until she stopped. "You aren't okay."

She smiled wanly. "I-I still feel very weak… b-but I'm trying my best to get better. I have to, or N-Neji will be very angry—"

"Don't worry about him," Kiba said soothingly.

"Right. I can hold down the fort," Tenten said, smiling. "Besides, you may answer to him, but he'll understand if you're sick."

Hinata and Kiba gave each other a look that made Tenten know they were withholding information. Hinata twiddled her fingers nervously.

"Technically…" she started, "N-N-Neji answers to me."

Tenten was confused. "But… aren't you his secretary?"

"By choice," Kiba said. Tenten looked at him, but he was staring at Hinata, who was suddenly very interested in her fingers. "Originally, Hinata was the manager of Konoha's branch of Hyuuga Corporation, and Neji was her secretary."

"What?"

"I-I stepped down," Hinata explained.

"And I still don't understand why," Kiba muttered. "Neji treats you terribly."

"Perhaps he does," Hinata mused, and then smiled knowingly. "But N-N-Neji is a stronger leader than I am. He's very talented. I-It was for the good of the company."

Tenten had a thousand questions to ask Hinata, but the other girl coughed again. Kiba leaned in to hold Hinata when something on her bed caught his eye. There was a small picture frame hidden halfway under her blanket. His face fell as he picked it up.

"You still have this?" his voice was low.

The picture in the frame was of a boy. The combination jubilant smile on his face, his blond hair and his shockingly orange jumpsuit made him shine like the sun.

Hinata blushed. "I-I was looking at it before you came in. I-I was worried it was my father at the door, and that he'd t-take it."

That's why she'd looked so shocked, Tenten thought.

"I-I confessed to N-Naruto back in high school. He didn't feel the same," Hinata whispered. "I won't stop trying. My f-feelings for him haven't changed…"

Tenten bit her lip and looked at Kiba. He never met her gaze, only placing Naruto's picture back on Hinata's bed face down. "Rejecting you is the biggest mistake that idiot ever made."

"Thank you, Kiba," Hinata said. She was completely oblivious to the meaning in his words and the pain on his face. "You're a true friend."

Kiba looked as if he'd just been stabbed. "Tenten," he said abruptly, "we should get going." His breath became shaky, as if he was about to cry before he walked outside the door.

"Thank you," Tenten said quickly, not sure exactly what she was thanking Hinata for. She closed Hinata's door behind her and found Kiba standing a few feet away, his back facing her.

They walked in silence before Kiba spoke. "After so long, her feelings for Naruto haven't changed." He said it more to himself than to Tenten. She struggled to find some encouraging words, but Kiba shook his head. "Drop it," he said, walking out of the West wing.

Tenten frowned. Her gaze fell to the white tiled floor when she heard a rustling noise. She turned quickly only to see the corridor to Hinata's room stretching behind her. Tenten paused for another moment before chasing after Kiba, missing Hanabi hiding behind a white column.

"I'll take you home," Kiba said when Tenten climbed into the Prado.

She shook her head. "The train station's fine."

"Okay," Kiba agreed without arguing. His voice sounded hollow. Neither of them said anything during the drive. Tenten's mind reeled with new facts and questions. If Hinata let Neji run the company… why did he hate her so much?

She was home before she knew it. She walked into the apartment building with legs made of lead, shuffling down the corridor and wearily pushing the key into door number 25.

"You have returned early, youthful Tenten!" Lee called enthusiastically before he saw her tired face. "You do not seem so youthful at the moment."

Tenten sat on the floor, laying her head on the coffee table. The wood surface was smooth and cool against her face. "I'm just a little tired."

"Is there something that worries you? Has something happened at the Hyuuga Corporation?" Lee's concerns faded into nothingness as Tenten fell asleep.

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Please review!


	3. Take care in how you treat people

Thank you for taking the time to review Chapter 2. I appreciate it. : ) If you've left a signed review, I will reply to it soon. I'm a little behind in writing because I'm taking classes this summer and they're keeping me busy. I'll update as fast as I can. : ) That being said, please enjoy Chapter 3!**  
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**Chapter 3: **Take care in how you treat people

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"Here are the minutes for this morning's meeting," Tenten said, presenting Neji with a neat stack of printed papers. "Will you need anything else?"

"That will be all," Neji said, perusing the stack. He appreciated that Tenten's work was high quality and very neat- her headings all in bold, with each subheading underlined.

"Hey, Ten," Kiba said, walking into the office. It had been almost two weeks since Tenten had started working at Hyuuga Corporation, and she was fitting right in. "We don't have a surname on file for you, and I need it to prepare your paycheck. What's your last name?"

When no immediate answer came, Neji glanced at Tenten subtly. She was staring at the floor, her expression suddenly downcast.

"My last name," she said, hanging back. To Neji, she looked like a flower closing its petals, and it bothered him.

"Tenten-"

"Neji! It's been far too long!"

Tenten looked up just in time to see a buxom blond with four ponytails waltz into the office as if she owned it. The black silk turtleneck and purple pencil skirt she wore were beautiful and obviously expensive. She never paid Tenten a glance, instead sauntering up to Neji and throwing her arms around his neck.

Tenten was not amused.

"Temari," Neji said, sliding out of the woman's chokehold. She'd only been in his office for a few seconds and she was already testing his patience. "You're being inappropriate."

Temari smiled devilishly. "Watch your tongue, or there'll be a news story about how _you_ came onto _me_."

"If someone from outside the company wants to meet with Neji," Tenten interrupted, "an appointment has to be made with me."

Temari looked at Tenten dully. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"I'm Tenten," the brunette answered defensively before Neji could introduce her. "I'm Neji's secretary."

"Oh." Temari was unimpressed. She cracked a mischievous smile. "In that case, make me a non-fat chai tea latte. You're a doll."

Tenten's face burned. Neji had said that not doing a task counted as insubordination, but-

"Temari." Neji's voice was stern and unexpected. His eyes were cold, his voice serious. "Tenten is my secretary and I won't have you abusing her in my office. If you require her to perform a task, you will ask her respectfully."

Both Temari and Tenten were at a loss for words. Kiba stood in the doorway, shocked. Beside him, Shikamaru watched quietly, narrowing his eyes as he contemplated the scene.

Temari's silence did not last long. "You should really stop talking as if you're above me, Neji. After all, you and my brother will soon be business partners."

"Partners?" Kiba questioned from the door. Shikamaru's eyes widened.

Temari's face was smug. "Good on you for not telling the hired help everything, Neji. I'll see you in today's meeting, around 4:00." She put a hand on her hip, smiled and winked at him before leaving the room.

"A fucking _merger_?" for the first time, Shikamaru lost his cool. He charged at Neji, who closed his eyes. "You're planning a merger with Sand Industries and you didn't tell your lead accountant?"

"The merger is Hiashi's idea. It's still in the negotiation stage," Neji said. He pressed his fingers against his forehead, feeling the first signs of a headache. "We are a profitable company on our own, but as an accountant, would you have advised against a merger with Sand Industries? Their profits have skyrocketed into hundreds of millions over the last couple of years."

Kiba sank into a nearby chair. "That Temari chick should stop coming in here. If anyone has business with you, it's Gaara, not her and her stupid newspaper."

"Her _stupid newspaper_ just bought out the Konoha Canopy, which has the power to destroy this company's reputation," Neji reminded him. "If we stay in Temari's good graces, we avoid bad press."

"And by staying in her good graces," Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "you mean that you'll marry her."

Tenten felt her heart stop for a moment. She looked at Neji, but he did not look back at her. His eyes were open again, but he wasn't looking at anything in particular. "We have not discussed that."

"I don't envy you," Kiba shuddered at the thought of Temari on his arm. Neji ignored him.

"You can't."

He turned around. It was Tenten speaking. "Yes, I understand that merging with Sand Industries has a lot of advantages for you, but your company has its own assets. You have a fantastic reputation, you treat your workers well, you have loyal customers- you don't need to appease Sand Industries; you can keep those things alive on your own."

"It is Hiashi's decision," Neji said bitterly. "I am the manager of this branch, but he owns the entire company."

Tenten shook her head. "You have the power to affect change, Neji," she said. "You _do_."

The amount of determination in her eyes was almost comical. He disregarded her words and changed the subject. "My meeting with Temari is at four. I'll need you to accompany me. Copy all of the files you worked on today to The Flash and we'll go over some details."

Tenten frowned. She walked over to her briefcase and reached into a compartment. She moved her hand inside the briefcase some more and panicked, dropping it onto her desk and rummaging through it.

"What's wrong, Ten?" Kiba asked.

She gulped in reply, giving up and moving her hands to her sides. "I don't have it… I don't have The Flash."

"Where is it?" Neji asked immediately.

Tenten bit her lip and covered her mouth with her hand, embarrassed. "It must be at home," she said meekly. "I was working on some files late last night. I'm so sorry. I'll catch the next train and-"

"I'll drive you there," Neji said. It was an offer she couldn't refuse. "We don't have enough time."

Walking with Neji through the company halls felt nothing like walking with Kiba. Tenten couldn't stop her heart from beating twice as fast in her chest. She was in this situation because of her own carelessness. She wouldn't blame Neji if he fired her right now.

Nervous about that last thought, she peeked over at him. Neji's expression was firm but not angry; his pale eyes fixated on the way ahead. His long hair, caught in a low ponytail as usual, flowed behind him as he walked confidently. Tenten took in his masculine form and did her best to resist thinking about how attractive he was. Focus, Tenten, she told herself. Focus.

They had reached company parking lot. Neji led her to a white Lexus convertible and opened the passenger side door for her. She tried to resist a blush when he closed it and walked around the car, getting into the drivers' seat.

"Give me directions," he commanded, turning the key in the ignition.

"Okay. It's not far," she said as the car purred to life. "Just a couple of roads away-"

"Not to the train station," he clarified. "To your house."

"You don't have to take me all the way there," Tenten said nervously. She'd been to the grandiose Hyuuga mansion- that was Neji's home, and hers was nothing like it.

"It'll take you longer by train, and you'll have to pay."

"I don't mind-"

"Tenten. Be quiet and just let me drive you."

"Are you always this polite?"

Neji glared at her. "My politeness is not the issue here. If I were impolite, I would have let you walk. Now just tell me where to go."

His tone was final. Tenten took a deep breath as she directed him through the streets, and Neji followed her instructions, driving out of the familiar business area onto narrower roads he had never heard of, crammed with townhouses and apartments. He glanced over at Tenten. Her eyes were fixed on the dashboard; her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

"This is it," Tenten said finally. Neji slowed down in front of a particularly old apartment building. "Number 125. I'll be out quickly." She hurried out of the car, closing the door behind her.

125? Neji thought. If that building was able to hold 25 apartments on its first floor, that had to mean each apartment was extremely small. As Tenten ran up the three stairs that led to the building's entrance and dashed inside, he parked and stared at the building. Its red bricks were cracked with age. Each small window made the place seem more like a dorm for first year college students than a place where adults would live. He had never seen any place like it.

Unable to resist his curiosity, he got out of his Lexus and locked the car's doors behind him. "Number 125," he echoed Tenten's words as he climbed the stairs, entering the building and walking along the first floor's narrow hallway.

He stopped in front of the door that bore a rusty metal 25. In her rush, Tenten had left the door open, and Neji stepped through the front door into the tiny living room. A dirty wooden coffee table sat in the center of the cramped space; an outdated television barely seven feet in front of it. Neji felt claustrophobic.

"Is this what you were searching for?" Neji turned towards the doorway the voice emanated from. Inside a tiny kitchen, a tall man dressed in full green handed something to Tenten.

"Yes!" Tenten said happily, taking what Neji assumed to be The Flash and putting it in her pocket. "Thank you so much, Lee. I don't know what I'd do without you." She gave Lee a hug and he reciprocated, holding her.

For some reason, the obvious affection between them irked Neji. An unexplainable surge of jealousy went through his body. He took two loud steps towards the kitchen, making his presence known.

"Neji?" Tenten said, releasing Lee.

"Neji?" Lee repeated, looking from his best friend to Neji and back. "Neji Hyuuga?"

Tenten's face went scarlet. "You said you'd wait in the car-"

"I said no such thing."

"Well," Tenten started self-consciously. Her eyes scanned the messy studio apartment, very aware of the disparity between Neji's standard of living and her own, "You shouldn't have followed me-"

"Why not? So I wouldn't meet the guy you're shacking up with?"

Tenten felt her world stop. The next few seconds passed as slowly as hours as his words sunk into her. She felt hurt and anger building up inside her. She looked up at Neji's face to meet his cold, colorless eyes; eyes completely without feeling. She blinked back the tears that threatened to fill her own. Her hands clenched into fists, gripping so hard that she threatened to tear the skin of her own palms.

Then she opened her right hand, the fingers spreading like the lightning fast throw of five kunai, and slapped Neji Hyuuga across the face.

He let out a curse as he clutched his face, looking at her angrily and expecting to meet an expression that matched his own, but Tenten hadn't been able to hold back her tears. They ran down her face against her will, leaving hot trails of salt water in their wake.

"How dare you," she seethed, her hands still shaking. Neji didn't reply. "How _dare_ you," Tenten repeated, still gaining no response. She stared him down with eyes of pure contempt, sidestepping Neji as she stormed into the living room and out of the front door, slamming it behind her.

Neji shouted her name, moving to chase her when he felt a firm grip on his shoulder.

Lee was looking at him with stone cold eyes. "How dare you question the honor of the youthful Tenten?" There was no malice in his stare. Only disappointment, an emotion Neji was sick of seeing.

"I didn't mean to," Neji answered, and the uncertainty in his own voice angered him even more. "I only followed her here out of curiosity."

"Did I invite you into my home?" Lee asked. It was a rhetorical question.

Neji thrust his shoulder backward, forcing it out of Lee's grasp. "It doesn't matter. I'm leaving." He turned his back on the other man, walking into the living room and towards the door.

Lee called after him, "If you follow the youthful Tenten now, she will rip off your face." Neji's face stung anew as he remembered Tenten's slap. He stopped in his tracks. "She needs at least five minutes to cool down. And if you must know," Lee said, "we are by no means shacking up. I am offering my best friend a place to live."

A place to live. He remembered Tenten's jibe in her interview about there being few jobs for History majors. Shame shrouded his mind as he remembered what he had just accused her of. He covered his face with his hands and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples.

Lee watched Neji for a moment. "While you are waiting, would you like some green tea?"

"No."

"Green tea it is," Lee declared, marching to the kitchen. Neji slumped into the couch.

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Please review!


	4. Especially those important to you

Normally I try to stay a chapter or so ahead, but this one caught up with me. I fought with it, and now it's finally the way I want it to be. : ) I've never written the Sand Siblings before, but I wanted to keep them closer to their Part 1 personalities. Kankuro struck me as a bit of a sleazeball, haha. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**Chapter 4: **Especially those important to you

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Exactly five minutes after Neji drank the tea Lee had offered, he left apartment number 125 to find Tenten sitting on the building's small staircase. She sat with her back to the railing, hugging her knees to her chest.

Tentatively, he moved toward the stair she was sitting on. When she did not move, he sat beside her.

"Tenten," he said. She didn't respond or indicate in any way that she had heard him, but he knew he had spoken clearly. "We're leaving."

She sat still. Neji watched the afternoon wind free strands of her hair from her buns. Her body shook with anger. "Can't you even give a decent apology?"

Neji grit his teeth. Tenten glared at him and continued, "Or is simple decency too much to ask of you?"

"Fine," Neji said icily. "I shouldn't have accused you of shacking up with Lee."

Her voice broke; anger and hurt mixing when she asked him, "Then why did you?"

Neji thought about the emotion he had felt when he saw Tenten hug Lee in her apartment. _Lee's_ apartment. Jealousy had overtaken him when he saw she was living with another man. For some unexplainable reason, the sight of Lee with Tenten was threatening. But was Lee a threat to her… or to him?

He exhaled, knowing that his actions were inexcusable either way. It was not his business what she did in her personal life. At the same time, he refused to let her scold him as if he were an errant child.

"That doesn't matter," he denied answering her question. "I have already apologized to you."

"You haven't. You never said that you were sorry."

Neji said nothing. Tenten seemed to be expecting him to say those words. He looked away from her, down the road full of potholes ahead of them, and remained silent.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you to come here," Tenten said exasperatedly. "The Hyuuga Mansion is so fancy, and then you compare it to this place-"

Neji narrowed his eyes. "How do you know what the Hyuuga Mansion looks like?"

Tenten looked away abruptly. "I saw it in a magazine." Neji's scrutinizing eyes made it clear he didn't believe her. "Okay. Kiba took me to the mansion to see Hinata-"

"You had no right to go to there-"

"Well you had no right to come to my home either!" They were at a stalemate.

The wind pushed Neji's ponytail, but not a single hair strayed. His muscles flexed as he crossed his lean arms and muttered disdainfully, "The Hyuuga Mansion is not my home."

He knew that Tenten was staring at him, wanting an explanation. He did not look at her. "It was built to house members of the main family. I am merely a branch family member."

"So where do you live?"

Neji considered not answering her, but her at least the change in subject had made her anger subside. "If you drive through the car port for around a mile behind the mansion, there is a neighborhood of single-family homes where branch family members live. I reside in one of them."

"What makes the main family so special?"

"Their blood. They are the face of the Hyuuga family."

"I don't understand."

"You wouldn't," Neji said dismissively. "The Hyuuga have always been divided this way. It is the way our family is."

Tenten shook her head. "Shouldn't a family be united as one?"

"You simply do not understand, Tenten." Her empathy was useless. The Hyuuga family was deeply rooted in its traditions. "It is a family matter."

"A family matter," she repeated. She rested her chin on her knees, her eyes half-closed and pensive. "I guess I really wouldn't understand."

Neji recognized this reaction. It was the same reaction Tenten had given Kiba when he asked her…

"Tenten," Neji said. He tried to make his tone as non-accusatory as possible. "What is your last name?"

Tenten had known that he would ask. She looked down at the broken brick stairs they sat on. "I don't have one."

"That's not possible," Neji said, ignoring her glare. "You have a Bachelor's degree. You have been through the school system. You must have a last name."

"Why do you always talk like you know everything?"

"Because I do," Neji responded immediately. Tenten's amused smirk alerted him to the immaturity of his words. He glowered at her, asking tersely, "What is it that I do not know?"

Tenten hugged her knees even closer to her torso. She seemed to be guarding herself both physically and mentally. Neji was about to repeat his question when she whispered the answer.

"I was found on the steps to Konoha Hospital as a baby. I was placed into the Konoha Orphanage, and I was never adopted. The government sponsored my education at Konoha Academy. Since they didn't know my last name, the last name they gave me was the area where I was found. Tenten Konoha," she said, and Neji heard a tinge of helplessness in her voice. "I left the orphanage when I was eighteen, and I got another scholarship to study at Konoha University."

"That's where you got your History Bachelor's," Neji said.

She laughed bitterly. "I'm a history major who doesn't know anything about her own history."

"Why don't you want to continue using the last name Konoha?"

Tenten's bottom lip quivered against her will. "It makes it too obvious that I'm an orphan. When people find out, they judge me."

Unwanted. Bastard. Garbage.

Tenten inhaled a shallow gasp of air and Neji knew she was about to cry. He did not like being touched or touching people, but Tenten needed him.

Neji put his hand on her shoulder. She raised her head reflexively at the unexpected touch; her brown eyes wide with surprise. He struggled to think of something encouraging to say.

"What is it?" Tenten whispered, too aware of the pressure of his hand.

"Nothing," he said, releasing her shoulder and standing suddenly. He put a hand on his forehead, letting his back face her.

When Tenten did not respond, he glanced behind him and saw that she had gotten up. She stood to his left with a small smile on her face. "That was your way of saying you were sorry for what happened to me, wasn't it." She continued before Neji could interrupt her. "It's okay. I know it's probably the best apology I'll get from you. You tried."

Neji looked away grumpily. "I didn't say anything."

Gingerly, Tenten reached up and touched the hand he'd put on his forehead. Neji let it fall to his side, and Tenten cradled it in her softer hands. "I know you were trying to say something. You always hold your forehead when you're stressed out."

Neji felt heat rush to his face. How had she noticed something like that? He snatched his hand away from her. She put her hands on her hips and smiled, knowing that she'd won. "In fact, I'm feeling generous today. I'll take it as an apology for you saying I was shacking up, too."

Neji was about to respond indignantly when his cell phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket to see the name Kankuro flashing on the screen. The time on the phone read 4:00.

"We're late," Neji said, pushing the phone back into his pocket. He had never been a fan of the older Sand brother with the face paint. He knew that Kankuro would taunt them once they arrived at the meeting. "We have to leave immediately."

Tenten nodded, taking The Flash out of her pocket to show Neji that she had it. He nodded, walking her back to his car.

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"Your boyfriend isn't answering," Kankuro said dully, tossing his cell phone onto the conference table. It slid over to Temari, who grabbed it in her hand.

"I know I told him 4:00," she said. "How can he be late for a meeting in his own building?" To be exact, Neji was eight minutes late. She was a professional businesswoman who hated waiting. Worse, she knew that Gaara hated waiting. She glanced at the head of the table warily.

"If Neji is not here," Gaara said, his strained voice echoing across the room, "then this meeting serves no purpose. I'm surprised by his lack of respect for my time."

"No way!" Kiba said. Shikamaru wanted to smack his coworker in the face as Gaara's intense gaze fixed on the two of them. Shikamaru had wanted to stay out of this argument as long as possible.

Kiba couldn't help but find the presence of the three Sand Siblings daunting. "Neji doesn't mean to disrespect your time, Gaara," he said nervously. "It's just that he needed to go get some important things that his secretary forgot."

Gaara contemplated this excuse. "I never knew Hinata to be forgetful."

"Not Hinata," Kiba clarified. "Tenten, her subsitute. Hinata's on sick leave."

"Tenten," Temari mused. "The girl who can't even make a chai tea latte for a guest. Why would Neji hire someone so incompetent?"

"Is she hot?" Kankuro asked pervertedly. He dodged the cell phone Temari hurled at his head. "It was a serious question!"

"She's not bad to look at," Shikamaru considered, "but I don't think that's why Neji hired her.

"Of course not," Temari fumed. She disliked Kankuro's overconfidence; it led him to say anything he wanted, regardless of how offensive it was.

"Let's not waste our time," Gaara said, putting a stop to their quarrel. He pushed his chair away from the table, about to stand. "Since Neji is not here, we should call this meeting at a later date."

"But with your schedule as hectic as it is, Gaara, we may not meet again for weeks," Temari said. She was right. "I say we discuss the merger without Neji and have either Kiba or Shikamaru report our discussion to him. Of course, that would be his secretary's job, but her uselessness can't be helped."

"Temari," Shikamaru interrupted quickly to keep her from insulting Tenten further. "That's actually not a bad idea. There were certain concerns that I had wished to address."

"Concerns?"

"Yes." He was aware that Temari was examining him critically. As much as he hated to admit it, Temari really was a good businesswoman. She was the spunky kind who knew what she wanted, and he had to answer to her. "As lead accountant of the Hyuuga Corporation, I find a merger with Sand Industries to be an opportunity worth considering. However, our companies have no prior experience working together."

Kankuro rapped his fingers on the table in quick succession. "So what do you want?"

"I propose a joint venture," Shikamaru said. "Some kind of event hosted by both our companies to see how our management functions as one."

Temari and Kankuro looked to Gaara. He had the final word on decisions like these.

"I agree," Gaara decided. "It will be a good indicator of the success of the merger."

Kankuro nodded. He wasn't completely swayed by Shikamaru's proposal, but he trusted his younger brother's instincts. He was also a slightly afraid of making Gaara angry. "What kind of joint venture should we host?"

"A gala," Temari answered. "A formal function hosted by both the Hyuuga Corporation and Sand Industries so that our management teams can network with each other."

Shikamaru couldn't help but smirk. He decided to take a jab at Temari. "Sure you're not just looking for a reason to wear a fancy dress?"

"Can we keep sexism out of this?" Temari said impatiently. Kankuro snickered. "A gala is the best option. When they hear about an upcoming merger, our workers will fear losing their jobs to workers from the Hyuuga Corporation, and vice versa. A gala will present the merger as non-threatening. It will help the workers from both companies to be friends and not enemies."

Temari smiled triumphantly when Gaara nodded. "Sand Industries and the Hyuuga Corporation will host a gala together. Temari, since this is your idea, you should be the lead planner from Sand Industries."

"Of course."

"And Shikamaru," Gaara continued, "since the joint venture itself was your idea…"

"I suggested a joint venture, not a party," Shikamaru said, scratching his head and frowning. This was becoming much more troublesome than he had intended. "I'm an accountant, not an event planner. Kiba's human relations officer. Make him do it."

Kiba jumped. "Heck no!"

Kankuro smirked. "What, are both of you too lazy or something?"

"It was only a suggestion," Gaara said. "The final decision of who from your company will help to plan the gala rests with Neji."

"There is no way I'm working with Temari," Kiba whispered hurriedly into Shikamaru's ear. Shikamaru wished he could shoo him like a mosquito. "She scares me!"

Temari glared at them. "Personally, I think I can plan this gala by myself. I'd rather not work with either of you."

"Then plan it alone!" Kiba begged.

"No." Gaara denied, his tone noticeably more agitated. "If you cannot even plan a simple gala together, how do you expect our companies to merge?" Everyone was silent.

"Whoever is selected from the Hyuuga Corporation must contact Temari as soon as possible," Gaara said, standing and shoving his chair under the table. "Now, this meeting is adjourned. Inform Neji of all the decisions we made, and ask him to contact me with his approval."

"Right," Shikamaru said. He and Kiba gave the three Sand Siblings wide berth as they left the conference room, and Shikamaru let out a long sigh.

"Why did you bring up all that joint venture stuff?" Kiba asked accusatorily.

Shikamaru sighed again. "Because it's crazy to consider merging when we've never worked together. And I was trying to buy Neji some time-"

Just then, the conference room door opened and Neji stepped in with Tenten close behind him. "They're gone?" Tenten asked. "What happened?"

"You're too late," Shikamaru said, glaring at Neji. "Sand Industries and the Hyuuga Corporation are going to be hosting a gala together."

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Please review!


	5. Make your plans in earnest

Sorry for the wait, everyone. I was extremely busy, and writing takes time. The chapters are coming slowly but surely. I may post the next one quickly if I finish it early enough and get enough feedback. : ) Thank you for sticking with me.

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**Chapter 5: **Make your plans in earnest

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Tenten's fingers flew across the keyboard as she typed Shikamaru's description of what had happened at the meeting with the Sand Siblings. She glanced across to Neji at his ebony desk. He was rubbing his temples too hard, his expression clearly annoyed.

With a frustrated exhale, Neji finally looked up at his lead accountant. "Shikamaru, it will be your job to plan the gala with Temari."

"YES!" Kiba celebrated.

Shikamaru groaned. "Don't make me work with that troublesome woman. Kiba's the one who's supposed to be good at working with people."

Neji shook his head. "Having Kiba work with Temari is not a good idea."

Kiba nodded vigorously. "Sure as hell it's not!"

"He's not exactly an intellectual match for her."

Kiba's eye twitched. "What'd you just say?"

Neji ignored him. "Shikamaru, you have to work with Temari so that we have equally capable representation on the gala planning committee. Kiba would back off and let Temari take control. As my lead accountant, you need to see to it that she doesn't do anything too extravagant.

"I suggest you call her soon so that we don't anger Gaara," Neji said. He turned to Kiba. "You have your own job to do."

"What'll that be?"

"You need to inform Hinata of the gala. As the Hyuuga heir, she must be in attendance at all events hosted by the Hyuuga Corporation."

"But Hinata's still on sick leave-"

"It's been nearly two weeks," Neji said irritably. "This gala should be taking place in another two weeks. She'll have had a month's worth of rest. You are also going to buy Tenten a new wardrobe."

Tenten sat up, alarmed by the sudden mention of her name. She looked down at her navy blue pantsuit and then at the three men around her. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Kiba and Shikamaru looked at each other awkwardly. They both glanced at Neji, but he had his eyes shut and was obviously not going to answer her question.

"Well, you see, Ten," Kiba started awkwardly. "You kind of wear almost the same thing every day."

Tenten was about to die of embarrassment. She did have three sets of work clothes that she mixed and matched every day, but she'd been sure the three men she worked with hadn't noticed.

"Well, um," Tenten stammered. She had no idea how to explain herself without revealing that she lived out of a suitcase. "I'm sorry, but I just can't buy any new-"

"I will pay for it," Neji said. He opened his eyes and looked at her. Shikamaru watched as unspoken words passed between Neji and Tenten.

"Neji," Tenten said finally. "I can't let you-"

"Consider it a work-related expense," Neji said, handing Kiba one of his credit cards.

Something had happened when Neji and Tenten went to retrieve The Flash, and Shikamaru wanted to find out what. He had an idea.

"Kiba," he said lazily. "Didn't you need Tenten's last name?"

The girl looked as if her heart had stopped.

"Oh yeah," Kiba said, snapping his fingers. "Just to prepare your paycheck-"

"You may prepare Tenten's paycheck with a first name only," Neji said. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes when his boss glanced at Tenten again. She looked thankful.

"But that breaks company policy," Kiba tried to reason with Neji. "The Hyuuga Corporation requires all employees to give a first and last name. Without a last name, the payroll software won't let me print her paycheck at all."

"Put an underscore in its place," Neji said.

Kiba held up his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. Tenten's last name is an underscore."

"Hold it," Shikamaru said to Kiba. He looked from Neji to Tenten and back. "Is there a reason you two are keeping secrets?"

Tenten hesitated. She did not want to cause friction between Neji and the others. "It's not like that, it's just-"

"This is not an illegal operation," Neji assured Shikamaru. "As your employer, I only ask you to respect Tenten's right to privacy." Shikamaru still looked skeptical, but Neji refused to explain any further. "Have you called Temari?"

Shikamaru sighed, drawing his cell phone out of his pocket and walking back to his own office.

"So Neji," Kiba elbowed his boss slyly, "since I have to go tell Hinata about the gala, do I get to leave early tomorrow?"

Neji answered with his eyes closed, "If only you arrived early as often as you left early."

"Can I take that as a yes? We'll pass the Hyuuga mansion on the way to the mall. I'll take Tenten with me when I leave, stop by the mansion to tell Hinata, and then take Hinata shopping with us!"

Neji glared at Kiba and the spiky-haired man took a step back. "I'm taking Hinata as a consultant," Kiba said. "You know, because she knows about women's clothes." Neji was unconvinced.

"That's okay with me," Tenten said. A buzzing sound came from her briefcase. "That's my phone," she explained quickly, pulling it out of a side pocket. She saw Lee's name appear on the caller ID. "Can I take this call?"

Neji nodded his assent, trying to tune out Kiba badgering him.

"Hi Lee," she said, and Neji's attention quickly switched to her.

"Youthful Tenten," Lee said, "I am currently located outside your workplace, and I am afraid I have some bad news. May you come outside for a moment?"

"I'll be right there," Tenten said, hanging up and standing. "I'll be right back," she promised Neji, walking out of the office and into the elevator.

When Tenten stepped outside the Hyuuga Corporation's glass doors, she saw Lee standing in front of his green Honda. Her suitcase was inside the open trunk. Tenten knew something was wrong.

"Youthful Tenten," Lee said, "I am sorry to be interrupting your work."

"It's alright," Tenten said. It was approaching 7:00 pm- technically, her work day was over.

Lee looked down to her suitcase. "We must evacuate my apartment for tonight. It will be sprayed to eliminate the threat of termites and other vermin, and the smell will be unbearable. Gai has kindly offered me his guest room for the night. Is there anyone with whom you could stay?"

No, Tenten thought, there isn't.

"Of course, if there is no place for you to spend the night, then you may take the guest room at Gai's house and I shall sleep on his couch-"

"That's fine, Lee," Tenten said. She smiled brilliantly. "I have a bunch of friends I can spend the night with, no worries."

Lee smiled back at her. "Of course, Youthful Tenten." He lifted her suitcase out of the trunk and set it in front of her. "Will you need help carrying your suitcase inside?"

"No thanks, I'll be taking the elevator anyway," she said cheerfully, grabbing the handle and wheeling the suitcase towards the Hyuuga Corporation's doors. She turned back once she had reached them, shouting towards Lee, "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Yes, we shall reunite tomorrow evening!" Lee called back, driving away. Tenten's smile shrank at the same rate Lee's car vanished in the distance. She felt herself shaking. She refused Lee's kind offer because she did not want to cause him any more inconvenience. Now she had nowhere she could stay, no one she could ask. For tonight, Tenten was homeless.

She thought about renting a hotel room for the night, but that would deplete her earnings from last week. Her hand clutched the suitcase handle as she racked her brain for a place she could stay, drawing blank after blank until she looked through the glass doors. She would have to spend the night in the office.

Tenten pulled her suitcase along the marble floor, trying to ignore the loud noise of its rickety wheels and the confused gazes of the other employees. "Sorry," she said as her suitcase forced her to occupy more than her fair share of the elevator's space.

She finally reached the twenty-first floor, pulling the suitcase down the hall as quickly as she could. She sighed with relief when she finally reached Neji's office, stepping in and closing the door behind her.

Neji raised his eyebrow suspiciously when his secretary entered, dragging an old black suitcase behind her. "Taking a vacation, Tenten?"

She smiled, but Neji sensed something wrong with it. It seemed wan and forced, lacking the enthusiasm of her usual one. "Not at all. I only needed to get some things from home."

Neji was about to ask why she needed to retrieve an entire suitcase, holding himself back when he remembered the repercussions of his previous error of invading her personal life. He turned back to the work on his computer as Tenten stood the suitcase upright behind her desk, opening her own laptop and beginning to type.

"It's pretty quiet," Tenten said after a while. She realized that she and Neji had never worked in total silence for so long. There was always either Kiba or Shikamaru to interrupt or provide some background noise. "Where is everyone?"

"Gone home," Neji answered. His laptop's clock read 9:00. "It's late."

"Oh, yeah," Tenten said, as if the time didn't concern her at all.

Neji examined her, now sure that she was acting strangely. "I normally work in the office late. I leave last because I turn on the building's electronic security system."

Tenten wanted to smack her forehead. She'd been waiting for Neji to leave so that she could find a comfortable place to sleep. "You can turn the security system on and leave me here. I'm almost done."

"Once it's on, you won't be able to leave," Neji said. "Do you need a ride home?"

Tenten would not be able to sleep in Lee's apartment because of the spray fumes, and the area wasn't exactly danger-free. She could easily lead herself into disaster if she slept on the apartment stairs. "No, that's okay," she said, tiredness creeping into her voice. "I just really wanted to finish this before I went home."

Neji narrowed his eyes, but decided to take her word for it. They worked until nearly 11:00 when Neji stood and packed his things.

"While I admire your dedication, you should go home and get some rest," Neji said. "I'm going to turn on the security system now."

"Okay," Tenten yawned. Neji pretended to leave the room, holding the door open a crack. As soon as she thought he was gone, Tenten shut her laptop and slumped over her desk.

Neji frowned, marching back inside and kneeling beside her. "Tenten. Tenten," he repeated when she did not respond, "I'm driving you home."

"No…" she said groggily. "I can't go back…"

Did Lee kick her out? Neji wondered. It didn't seem like something a devoted person like Lee would do. Neji had no idea what was going on, but Tenten could not sleep in the office. "I'm booking you a hotel room."

Tenten suddenly seemed more alert. "No," she said. "I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"It's alright," Neji said. He took his phone out of his pocket. Tenten covered the screen with her hand. "Tenten. I am trying to do you a favor."

"Then don't spend any money," Tenten whispered. Neji considered her words, amused by her ability to be smart-mouthed even when half asleep. As her hand slid off of the smooth glass of his phone screen, he realized that it was far too late at night to book a hotel room, especially one that she would need right away. He looked back at Tenten and saw her eyes closed.

He had no choice.

He would take Tenten to his house.

* * *

Please review!


	6. But allow for unexpected change

Sorry for the long break, but my school life is very hectic. I was very serious when I said that I would finish this story! If there's enough interest, I'll be finishing it this summer. Please let me know that you're enjoying it and would like to see more by reviewing. Now, here is the long-awaited Chapter 6. Thank you for sticking with me.

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**Chapter 6: **But allow for unexpected change

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Tenten woke up disoriented, worried that she did not recognize the room she was in or remember how she arrived there. It was sparsely yet elegantly furnished, with only the white double bed she slept in and a white chest of drawers against its lavender walls.

Her navy blue pantsuit stuck to her skin with sweat. She had been wearing it since yesterday and she was dying to change. Thankfully, she noticed her suitcase lying next to the bed. She stood, her bare feet feeling the cold of the white tiles, and did her best to figure out where she was.

She got her biggest clue when Neji walked into the doorway wearing a white shirt and jeans, his arms folded in front of his chest. "Neji," she said cautiously, her voice still carrying traces of sleep, "where am I?"

Neji said nothing. He stood in the doorway patiently, waiting for her to figure it out herself. As she took in the presence of lavender and white, all of the color drained from her face. "Please don't tell me I'm at your house."

"I had no choice," Neji said. Tenten stared at the floor. Neji stood unmoving in the doorway, and she knew he was waiting for an explanation that she was too embarrassed to give. She tugged on the sleeve of her dirty pantsuit.

Neji closed his eyes, seeing that she was not willing to explain herself. "This guest room is never used. It does have a bathroom, but it has not been cleaned. You should use my bathroom."

"Okay," Tenten said. She kneeled, pulling a towel and clean clothes out of her suitcase.

"My bedroom is upstairs and to the right. The bathroom door is in there, on the left."

Tenten rushed past him, hurrying up the white wooden stairs.

The white walls of Neji's room were just as bare as the gray ones in his office. Plush lavender curtains were pulled away from the wall-high bay window, flooding the large space with light. Tenten walked past Neji's neatly made bed and into the bathroom. She stepped into the shower and couldn't help but smile when she saw eight brands of expensive shampoo on Neji's shower rack.

Meanwhile, Neji straightened the white sheets Tenten had slept on. Her behavior last night was extremely odd, to say the least. Had it been anyone else, he would have demanded an explanation while they were in his office. With Tenten, Neji's first instinct was to make sure she was safe, and he had no idea why. This odd feeling that she gave him made him uneasy. Neji Hyuuga did not have any exceptions to his rules. He would get an explanation from her right now.

When he returned to his bathroom, Tenten was already dressed in a short-sleeved dress shirt and black slacks slightly too big for her. She stood in front of his bathroom mirror with a towel in her hands, tiny drops of water clinging to strands of her wet hair.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist," Tenten said.

Neji had never seen Tenten's hair let out before. It was longer than he had expected. The ends touched the middle of her back, dampening her shirt.

"Neji?"

He jolted at the sound of his name. "What?"

"I'm sorry I used your shampoo. You had so many different kinds. I always wondered how your hair stayed so nice," Tenten laughed.

With anyone else, his first impulse would have been to retort, but Neji smirked at Tenten. "You like my hair?"

He felt a rush of pride as Tenten's face blushed a furious red. She babbled something adorably incoherent as Neji's phone rang.

"I'm almost at the mansion!" Kiba yelled before Neji even said hello.

"Alright," Neji said. He hung up the phone and said to his secretary, "We have to get to the mansion. Kiba can't know that you stayed here." Neji took Tenten's towel out of her hands and draped it around her shoulders. Tenten felt her blush intensify. "Dry your hair. If you want, I'll give you hair care pointers when you come back."

"Quit it," Tenten said, still blushing as Neji headed for the door. "Neji," she called before he reached it. He did not turn around, instead tilting his head so that his ear was angled towards her. "Thank you."

Tenten noticed Neji's body stiffen. "When you come back," he said, "you'll tell me why you were going to sleep in the office."

"I will," she promised. He walked downstairs. After she dried her hair, she redid her buns and followed him outside.

Neji drove her to the mansion. They got out of his car and stood in the mansion's car port as soon as Kiba turned into the driveway. His Prado sped down the white bricks and he parked quickly, jumping out of the car in a gray shirt and shorts. "Hey Ten, we're finally gonna get you some civilized clothing!"

"H-Hello, Kiba, Tenten…" Hinata stepped outside wearing a white sundress with small flowers on the shoulders. She wore a matching wide-brimmed hat. "N-N-Neji," Hinata added when she noticed him. "I-I did not know you were coming with us."

I'm not, Neji was about to confirm, but he looked at Tenten in the back seat and had a change of heart. As long as she was in any kind of trouble, he wanted to be sure she was alright. "I am," he said.

"You are?" Tenten asked. Neji was glad that she sounded happy.

"Great!" Kiba yelled, doing a fist pump as Hinata climbed into his passenger seat.

"I'll take my car," Neji said. His Lexus chirped when he pressed the unlock button on his keys.

"Oh no you don't," Kiba protested. "This road trip has to have the group all together."

"Kiba," Tenten laughed, "the mall's barely a half hour away."

"And yet it's the closest thing to a road trip we Hyuuga Corporation employees will ever have! And come on Neji, you have all those energy saving things up in the office; one car pollutes less than two."

Neji could not be bothered to argue. He pushed another button on his keys, and the locks on his Lexus clicked.

"Great!" Kiba said as Neji climbed in next to Tenten in the back seat. "Hey Hinata, you and Tenten wear about the same size, right?"

"Y-Yes," Hinata confirmed.

Kiba grinned. "You wanna model for me?"

Hinata's face flushed and she looked like she might faint. Kiba took that as a yes. "Yo Neji. When we hit the mall, let's split up. We'll get clothes faster."

"That sounds fine," Neji replied.

Kiba put the Prado in drive and sped out of the car port. "To the mall!"

* * *

It wasn't often that Kankuro got a day off. Technically, this wasn't his day off either, but he just hadn't felt like working. He needed the occasional break to relax, forget about business and eat some hamburger steak. And the best hamburger steak in town was at the Konoha Mall.

He swallowed a mouthful of delicious meaty goodness in the food court, ignoring his sister's fourteenth phone call. Temari just didn't know when to give up. He raised his fork to take another mouthful when someone bumped into him. The jostle made the piece of hamburger steak fall to the ground.

Kankuro lifted his gaze from his plate and turned to yell some choice words when familiar faces in the distance caught his eye. There was Kiba, knucklehead Human Relations Officer of Hyuuga Corporation, standing beside Neji Hyuuga himself. On Kiba's other side was Hinata, the best piece of eye candy the Hyuuga had going for them. She had been hiding some serious curves under that sweater she used to wear.

Standing between Hinata and Neji was a girl Kankuro didn't recognize. He'd been to the Hyuuga Corporation a couple of times and thought he'd seen all the employees, but this girl's face was completely unfamiliar. He thought quickly and remembered that there was one employee who he had never met.

If this was the mysterious Tenten, he was underwhelmed. The two buns she had on either side of her head looked extremely childish to him, and Kankuro hated children. All in all, he judged Tenten as nice enough to look at, but average.

The four split into two pairs; Hinata and Kiba walking in the opposite direction of Neji and Tenten. Kankuro was curious about what Neji saw in that girl, so he decided to go introduce himself.

Neji glanced behind Tenten, suddenly having the feeling that they were being followed. He said under his breath, "What's Kankuro doing here?"

"Kankuro?" Tenten asked, guessing that Neji meant the tall man wearing purple face paint who was heading in their direction. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about the way Kankuro looked at her that she did not like.

Neji stopped walking as Kankuro took his last couple of steps towards them. "What is it, Kankuro."

"Neji, always so abrasive," Kankuro said. His eyes were fixed on Tenten.

Neji held out his hand to introduce her when Kankuro chuckled. "Oh, I know Tenten," he smiled slyly.

"Well I don't know you," Tenten demanded. "Who are you?"

Kankuro sneered at her. "You would have to not know who I am to talk to me like that. I am Kankuro. One of the Sand Siblings. Ever heard of us?"

"I've heard of them," Tenten said, "but not of you."

Kankuro's face contorted with rage. "You little-" he started, and a raised eyebrow from Neji dared him to continue. Not the time, Kankuro calmed himself. You can get that bitch back later. "Neji, you better reprimand that secretary of yours. She could cost you this merger."

"If you and your sister continue to be rude to Tenten, there will be no merger."

"So protective," Kankuro teased. Neji's eyebrows furrowed. "Speaking of my sister, after the number of times you've turned her down, I don't think she'd be happy to hear about this little excursion."

Neji glared at him icily. "If you have nothing of importance to say, we'll be going."

Tenten nodded, her angry gaze fixed on Kankuro as she took hold of Neji's hand.

"Save me a dance at the gala, sweetheart," Kankuro called.

Tenten marched ahead, refusing to look back. "How can someone so arrogant be on the board of such a powerful company?"

Neji answered, "If Sand Industries ever has a tough client or someone they want to force into cooperation, they send Kankuro. Don't take out your anger on me."

Tenten looked down and saw that she was squeezing Neji's hand. "Sorry," she said, relaxing her grip and realizing that she did not actually want to let go of him. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"You said that you wouldn't consider merging with Sand Industries if they were rude to me." She was smiling at him, her brown eyes radiant.

Neji felt redness crawling up his face and dropped Tenten's hand like a hot coal. "Of course I wouldn't merge with a company that doesn't respect my employees."

Tenten's smile faltered. Neji felt an onset of guilt and looked away from her. "We came here to shop. Let's just get into a store and-"

"Neji! Tenten!" the loud voice was unmistakably Kiba's. Four bags of women's clothing shook in his arms as he ran over to them, Hinata trailing behind. "Look at all this stuff! Turns out Hinata's VIP at all these stores-"

"W-Well, I-I'm not more important," Hinata said, smiling at Kiba's excitement, "I-I just buy a lot of clothes for all of the events I go to-"

"- so we went into one, and they'd kept all this stuff in her size just so she could check it out! We got lots of stuff for you, Ten!"

Tenten smiled the same wan smile that Neji had seen the day before. "Thanks, you guys. I really appreciate it."

Kiba nodded seriously. "Hopefully Neji appreciates all the damage we did to his credit card. I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" he added when Neji shot him a death glare.

"D-Don't worry, N-Neji. It really wasn't that much," Hinata said. "I-I get a frequent customer discount. A-Also, we did not buy Tenten a gown for the gala. Those are m-more expensive, and I have some I haven't worn. I can give her one."

"I knew it was a good idea to bring Hinata!" Kiba cheered, grabbing her into a tight embrace. Hinata squeaked a little before she relaxed and put her arms around him.

"Since you have gotten everything, we are ready to leave," Neji said irritably. He turned toward the parking lot.

"Actually, Hinata and I are gonna make another stop," Kiba said. He shoved the shopping bags into Neji's arms. "We're gonna buy some things for Akamaru."

Tenten asked, "Who's Akamaru?"

"My dog!" Kiba answered, his eyes shining. "Man's best friend! I've tried so hard to get Neji to allow me to take him to work-"

"Never," Neji said adamantly. He couldn't stand the stink of dog in his office.

Kiba sighed. "- but Neji hates all living things. Here, you can sit in my car." He tossed Neji his keys.

"Even your car reeks of dog," Neji muttered, already walking towards the Prado.

Tenten followed Neji. She watched as he tossed the shopping bags inside unceremoniously. Behind her, Kiba and Hinata walked away hand in hand. Neither of their hands seemed to want to let go of the other. Tenten looked at Neji, at his own empty hand so close to hers, and reminded herself that he was her boss.

"Thank you, Neji."

Neji stiffened. "Don't say that."

"I mean it," Tenten said sincerely.

"So do I," Neji said, closing the trunk.

Tenten took a deep breath, stifling her retort as they got into the backseat of Kiba's car. "I only meant to say that I really appreciate this. I don't mean to inconvenience you."

"The only time you caused any inconvenience was when you chose to go to bed in my office," Neji said bluntly. He leaned over and pushed Kiba's key into the ignition and continued, "Why don't you tell me why I had to carry you to my house."

Tenten winced. She hadn't expected him to bring that up so suddenly. "You didn't have to," she said, looking away from him. "You could have left me there." She knew that was not true. "I'm sorry. Lee had the apartment sprayed and I had nowhere else to go."

She felt the first tears coming and wrapped her arms around herself. Neji recognized this protective shell she tried to create when she was uncomfortable, and he took hold of her hands, clasping them firmly within his own. She looked at him with her eyes wide.

"You should have told me," Neji said. "You always—"

A tap on the window alerted them to Kiba and Hinata's presence outside the car. Neji leaned over and unlocked the doors.

"What the— you made Tenten cry?!" Kiba exclaimed as he slid into the driver's seat. Tenten touched her face self-consciously. "I leave you alone for 5 minutes and already—"

"Kiba," Hinata cautioned, noting that Neji looked ready to slice him. "Maybe we should give N-Neji and Tenten a moment alone."

At that moment, Tenten's phone rang. The four occupants of the car were silent as her ringtone played. Tenten looked at the name on the screen before she answered: Lee.

"Lee?" she said. A nod from Hinata made Kiba start the car and drive out of the mall. "It's done now, right? I'll be back— oh, they found one? … yes, I can. Don't worry. Thank you. I'll see you soon." She hung up.

At a stop light, Kiba opened his mouth as if to declare something. The dog food cans in Hinata's lap rattled as she nudged him. He turned to her and frowned. "I really can't ask anything?"

"If you want to keep your job," Neji said nonchalantly.

Kiba turned to Neji and frowned harder. The light turned green and Hinata nudged him again. He looked straight ahead as he drove.

"Ten," Kiba said, "You okay back there?"

Tenten jumped in her seat. "I'm fine," she said, but her expression told Neji otherwise.

"You want me to drop you home?"

"Take her to my house," Neji said before Tenten could answer. This time, both Kiba and Hinata turned to look at him. Neji closed his eyes and touched his forehead. "I've been working on a project I'd like to show her."

Kiba groaned. "You're a dictator; giving poor Ten work to do during the weekend."

Tenten smiled. "It's alright." Her suitcase was still at Neji's house.

The rest of the car ride went in relative silence, with Hinata nudging Kiba each time he tried to ask an intrusive question. Kiba was frowning very hard when he drove through the Hyuuga mansion's driveway and down to Neji's house.

"Don't keep Tenten out too late," Kiba warned in a fatherly way.

Neji glared at Kiba with so much animosity that Kiba quickly faced forward and gripped the steering wheel.

Hinata giggled as Neji went to the trunk to take the bags of Tenten's new clothes. "Goodnight,"

"Goodnight," Tenten waved as Neji slammed the trunk. Kiba drove away. She walked up to the front door of Neji's house with him, pausing as he unlocked the front door.

"The spraying of Lee's house has finished?" Neji recalled her conversation in the car.

"Yes, it has," Tenten said, folding her arms and looking towards the floor. "But the exterminator found the beginnings of a termite infestation."

"How long will it take?"

"A few days."

"Stay here," Neji said naturally, walking past her and up the stairs.

Tenten clutched her hands to her chest. "Neji, I can't just—"

"It isn't a problem," he said so that she would hear him downstairs. He deposited the shopping bags next to her suitcase.

"Thank—" Tenten started, then remembered that this would make him upset. Her eyes twinkled. "I'll get started on dinner."

"If that is what you want," Neji said. He heard Tenten rush into the kitchen and his cupboards open and close as she looked for pots and pans. Looking at the contrast of Tenten's brightly colored new clothes with the paleness of the Hyuuga décor, Neji was surprised by his own generosity. For some reason, Tenten's safety and happiness had become important to him. He went downstairs when she called him, allowing this exception to his rules.

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Please review!


	7. Accept these changes with grace

Even summer's busy for me! I took a week longer than I'd hoped, but I'm really happy with this chapter. I hope you enjoy it!**  
**

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**Chapter 7: **Accept these changes with grace

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Tenten's vision blurred as her eyes adjusted to the early morning light. She pulled the white blankets over her head and tried to fall asleep again, with no luck.

She had too much on her mind to fall asleep. Neji's kindness had afforded her a place to stay for a few more days, but she hoped she wasn't overstepping her bounds. Soon, she'd be back to living with Lee, but Tenten didn't want to impose on him either. Tenten sighed. All she did was create problems for people she cared about.

When she sat up, she noticed light pouring in front of her door. She got out of bed to investigate, and noticed that the light was coming out of Neji's doorway. Tenten tiptoed to his door and saw Neji sitting in front of his open bay window, Sunday's first beams of sunlight dancing across his skin. His dark hair was let out of its ponytail, streaming across his broad shoulders. He was staring outside, lost in thought.

Tenten was aware that she might be intruding on a private moment, but she could not look away. She leaned on the doorframe, watching him with a heavy blush staining her face. Neji was so handsome. Tenten had tried to avoid thinking about her boss this way, but she admitted to herself that she found Neji extremely attractive.

Neji had heard her light footsteps. Tenten was up unusually early. "Do you need something?" he asked without turning around.

She'd been caught watching him. "No," Tenten said guiltily. "I'm fine." She couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"

"Watching the sun rise," Neji said. He tilted his head and glanced back at her, an unspoken invitation that Tenten understood. He turned back to the sunrise as she walked up to the bay window and sat next to him.

The sun rose in a festival of orange and purple. The Hyuuga mansion in front of it cast a magnificent shadow on all of the branch family homes. "Wow," Tenten breathed. "I've never seen a sunrise like this."

Neji suddenly clutched his temple. "It's fine," he said in response to Tenten's worried face. "It's just another headache."

"Just another?" Tenten repeated. She thought of how stressed Neji would get, and how many times she had seen him touch his forehead.

"It happens sometimes." Neji was still staring out at the light surrounding the Hyuuga mansion. "I'm going to the office. I need to finish going through the pile of urgent notices."

"You can't go," Tenten said. "You're too stressed. You need to take a break. Besides, it'll be better to not go to work today than on Monday."

"My company may be going through a merger, I have four meetings to prepare for, and a desk full of notices and proposals to sign. I have to go to work." Neji stood to show his resolve and his head throbbed. He lowered himself to the ground, his eyes tightly shut.

He sensed something coming toward his face and grabbed it. When he opened his eyes, Tenten was sitting in front of him. He was holding her slim wrist in his hand. Tenten paused, her brown eyes looking lovingly into his own, as if asking for permission. Neji slowly released her wrist, letting her soft hands cup his face. He closed his eyes, feeling her fingers glide through his hair.

Tenten felt Neji's body relax. She continued to comb through his hair with her fingers, moving from his forehead to his shoulders. Slowly, Neji leaned forward and onto her, resting his head in the crook of her neck.

"I'm sorry about this," Neji said. His head was pounding.

When he spoke, his lips moved against her neck, and it drove Tenten wild. "It's fine," she said quickly. Neji's dark hair was laced between her fingers, shining in the early morning light. Her hands travelled a recurring path from Neji's forehead to his back. His forehead felt unusually warm.

He might be having a migraine, Tenten thought. She wished that she could tell Neji to rest, but he was too stubborn to listen to her. She had to distract him from the pain. "Do you watch the sunrise every day?"

"I used to," Neji said, "when I lived in the Hyuuga Mansion."

Tenten's fingers froze in Neji's hair. This was not something Neji would normally tell her, but it had taken his mind off the pain.

"Hinata's father… when we were young, he woke me up at sunrise for training."

"Training for what?" Tenten's natural curiosity got the best of her.

"Becoming head of the family. Hinata is unfit to lead the family, and Hanabi is too young."

"You do seem like you would be the more powerful leader, but Hinata has her own strengths. She's very kind," Tenten said, remembering how she had felt like she could trust Hinata as soon as she met her.

Neji let out a bitter laugh. "You cannot exist in the business world, much less command the Hyuuga Corporation, by _being kind._"

"Commanding isn't the only way to lead," Tenten whispered to Neji. Unconsciously, she had rested her face on his, and her breath ghosted over his ear.

A rush of arousal passed through Neji and he pulled away from Tenten sharply, his head immediately protesting the loss of her touch with a fresh bout of pain. "Tell that to Hiashi," Neji said, standing when Tenten reached for him again. "When I tried to lead my own way, he kicked me out."

"Neji," Tenten started, but he ignored her, walking into the bathroom.

"There should be some painkillers in here," she heard him say stiffly. Tenten sat on the floor by herself. When Neji did not return, she left the room.

* * *

Tenten guessed that Neji had taken the painkillers, because he was gone for the rest of the day. She ate her meals by herself and went to bed still thinking about the way his body had felt in her arms. Remembering his lips against her neck sent electricity down her spine.

Stop it, Tenten, she tried to tell herself. He isn't thinking about you.

Yet in the morning, she couldn't help but wake up early and present him with a cup of tea. She was still in her pajamas. Neji came downstairs buttoning the last button on his suit. He looked at the teacup and then at her face. "I normally take coffee."

"I know," Tenten said, "but tea is good for migraines."

Neji recognized the peace offering for what it was. He drank the tea, deciding to put yesterday's incident behind him. It was inappropriate to feel that way about his secretary, but he was the one who had made the mistake of leaning on her. He resolved to put the transgression behind him, trying to ignore the emotions that stirred when he thought of her fingers woven in his hair.

Tenten went back upstairs to get ready for work, and returned wearing one of the outfits they had bought at the mall. It was a tailored black pantsuit, and Neji liked the way it looked on her. It fit her much better than the old, navy blue one that she usually wore.

Still, Neji made no comment as he drove her to work. They got out of his car and walked to his office together, Shikamaru and Kiba already inside.

"—and then she said she wanted six thousand bouquets of orchids to hang from the indoor balcony," Shikamaru was complaining. "_Six thousand bouquets!_"

"I heard you the first time," Kiba said, reclining in the chair across from Neji's desk. Neji and Tenten walked past him and to their respective desks. "Whoa, Tenten, you look awesome!"

Tenten smiled. "Thanks, Kiba. It feels a little tight," she said, tugging the fabric away from her skin. It conformed to her shape each time she let go.

"It's not tight, Tenten," Shikamaru chuckled. "That's what it feels like when clothes fit."

Neji glowered. "Is there a reason that you two are in my office before I am?"

"So you don't compliment her, but you get angry when other people do," Shikamaru criticized. "Typical."

"You didn't compliment her?!" Kiba said incredulously. "She looks fantastic!"

"It's okay, you guys," Tenten spoke before Neji did. He looked at her, but she only focused on Shikamaru and Kiba. "It's fine."

Shikamaru shook his head at Neji in a patronizing way that made Neji angry. "Shikamaru, you were going on a tirade before we got here. Would you care to continue in your own office?"

"Working with Temari is just such a drag," Shikamaru let out a long, deep sigh. "I can't stand working with that troublesome woman."

"Well you'd better find a way," Neji said, glancing at his computer's clock, "because you have a meeting with her right now."

"What?!"

"Scheduled it for you," Neji said vindictively, not looking up from his computer.

"Suppose I had some more important work to do?!"

"Are you trying to say you and Kiba do important work?"

"Hey," Kiba whined.

Shikamaru grabbed his briefcase. "I don't think I'll leave this meeting with any sanity left."

Neji spoke while he typed. "There was sanity to begin with?"

Shikamaru glared at him. "I've had just about enough of you."

"Good. You may quit at any time you please."

Shikamaru let out a long, hopeless sigh.

"Come on, Shika," Tenten tried to cheer him up. "She can't be that bad."

Shikamaru gave her a look of abject horror. Saying nothing else, he left Neji's office and went to the conference room.

Temari was already there, wearing one of her trademark purple pencil skirts with a black dress shirt. "Three minutes early," she mused, glancing at her Rolex. "I'm impressed."

"You mean I had three minutes to spare before my appointment with the devil?"

Temari gave him a sarcastic smile. "Clever," she said as he sat down. "We have real work to do. Should we have a wind or string ensemble?"

Shikamaru groaned. "And why not both."

Temari paused. "That's actually a good idea," she said, putting check marks beside both of them.

The accountant within Shikamaru kicked in. "This gala is getting to be a bit extravagant, Temari."

"I'm aware of that," she said. Shikamaru looked at her more carefully. "I know that this will cost us, but we have a big budget. Think about who we're catering to: Gaara of Sand Industries, Neji and Hiashi Hyuuga of the Hyuuga Corporation. Gaara and Neji aren't too flashy, but you know how much Hiashi expects of a function in his company's name. Not to mention Hanabi."

"That brat," Shikamaru and Temari muttered at the same time. They looked at each other in shock before Temari laughed. "Well, I see she has a bit of a reputation here, too."

"Are you kidding?" Shikamaru cracked a smile. "She's been after Neji's job for years."

"Who has been?" a third voice came into the room. Shikamaru and Temari swiveled toward the door. Standing there was Hanabi herself, a disapproving expression on her face.

"Just one of our competitors," Shikamaru said. Temari was impressed by how quickly he adapted. "We weren't expecting you, Hanabi."

"I stop by sometimes," Hanabi shrugged. She smoothed her high school's green uniform skirt before she sat down next to Shikamaru. "On my father's behalf, I like to make sure everything's running smoothly."

Shikamaru gave Temari a knowing look, and Temari had to hide her smirk.

"The gala's in less than a week," Hanabi said as if they did not already know. "Neji told me that you are both on the planning committee."

"We lead the planning committee," Temari corrected. Before Hanabi asked, Temari continued, "We've catered for 1,500 people at Sand Industries' Suna Hotel. There will be a fruit tray including bananas for you, and a tempura dish for your father."

Hanabi was unfazed. "Wind or string ensemble?"

"Both."

"Good," Hanabi said. The way Hanabi spoke, it was hard for Shikamaru to believe that she was sixteen, but her girlish voice and uniform were proof that she was a schoolgirl. Her hair brushed past her shoulders as she stood. "This event is in your capable hands."

"Of course," Temari said.

"Shikamaru," Hanabi said, "is Neji in his office?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru sighed. Temari crunched her high heel into his foot and he suppressed a yelp. "Yes, he is!"

"I'll pay him a visit," Hanabi said, leaving as silently as she had arrived.

"You don't have to say it," Shikamaru said when Temari looked at him smugly, the words 'I told you so' practically written on her face. "All your extravagance was intentionally done to impress Hanabi."

"Please Hanabi, please Hiashi," Temari said as if it was a proverb. "Piss off Hanabi, piss off Hiashi. And the easiest way to piss off Hanabi is to not talk to her with respect."

Shikamaru rubbed his throbbing foot. "I realized."

"I know how to play this game," Temari said, beaming with pride. "Do your number crunching, and let me handle this."

* * *

Shikamaru's name lit up on Tenten's office phone when she answered it. "Hello?"

"Bad news," Shikamaru sighed. "Hanabi's heading to Neji's office. Tell him right away."

Tenten glanced over at Neji, who had been avoiding talking to her all day. She looked over Neji's schedule. "I don't think Hanabi has an appointment—"

"Hanabi Hyuuga," Shikamaru said. Hanabi's last name was proof enough that she didn't need an appointment.

"I'll tell him," Tenten said. Shikamaru thanked her and hung up. "Neji, Hanabi Hyuuga is on her way here."

Surprised, Neji put his pen down on the documents he had been signing and looked at Tenten. "Now?"

"Yes," Tenten said, and a girl wearing the Konoha Private School uniform walked into the office without another moment's notice.

"Hanabi." Neji stood up to greet her, and Tenten had to do a double take. Neji and Shikamaru's worry had made Tenten expect someone intimidating like Temari, but Hanabi was just a high school girl.

"Hi, Neji," Hanabi said. She gave him a practiced smile and shook his hand. "I only stopped by to see what you were up to. Your desk isn't as messy."

Neji didn't miss Hanabi's jab, but did not retaliate. "I attest much of that to Tenten, my secretary," Neji introduced her.

Tenten held out her hand to Hanabi when she noticed Hanabi scrutinizing her. "She's your temporary secretary while Hinata's on sick leave, then."

Tenten had fit into the Hyuuga Corporation so perfectly that Neji had almost forgotten that her position was temporary. "That's right."

"So her term will be over somewhere around a month after the gala," Hanabi mused, "and you'll give the position back to my sister."

Neji and Tenten glanced at each other. He looked back to Hanabi. "That's right."

"Good," Hanabi said. "She doesn't look familiar. What branch did you hire her from?"

"I'm not from another branch," Tenten interrupted. She did not like that Hanabi spoke about her as if she wasn't even there. "I got this job fair and square by answering the ad in the paper."

"An _ad_ in the _paper?_" Hanabi repeated incredulously.

Neji slapped his hand over his face. Tenten looked at him questioningly.

"The Hyuuga Corporation has an extremely selective hiring process," Hanabi turned up her nose at Tenten, repeating facts from their company handbook that Neji already knew. "It is customary to interview adjunct workers from other branches before hiring from the general public."

"I know that, Hanabi," Neji said brusquely.

"Then what's this about putting an ad in a newspaper?" Hanabi smirked. "Remember that you're only here because Hinata stepped down and personally recommended you. My father would simply hate to hear about this mistake." Neji grit his teeth and looked away from her. Hanabi stepped closer, taunting him. "It might even push you out of his good graces if he hears that you hired this girl."

"That's enough," Tenten interrupted, walking around her desk to stand between Neji and Hanabi. "I have a name."

Hanabi raised one eyebrow.

"I have a name," Tenten repeated, crossing her arms. "It's Tenten. You can refer to me with it. Talk about me like I'm here."

"Tenten," Neji warned. He realized then that he had come to admire Tenten's fearlessness. She never let social ranks intimidate her; refusing to be put down by Temari, Kankuro, and even Neji himself. But Hanabi outranked him in the family hierarchy, and Tenten's defending herself might get her in trouble.

Tenten looked at him exasperatedly. She realized that Neji was trying to avoid making Hanabi angry, but she couldn't stand hearing Hanabi insult him.

Hanabi raised her eyebrow at Tenten. "Excuse me?"

"You're not excused," Tenten said bitingly. Hanabi was offended, but Tenten didn't let her speak. "And who cares whether Neji is from the branch family or the main family? He's still your cousin."

Hanabi looked at Tenten scornfully. "Neji, you would hire a girl who has no idea how the Hyuuga family works. Fire her."

Tenten's eyes opened wide when she realized the gravity of Hanabi's order.

"I can't fire her," Neji said. Tenten relaxed. "Tenten's contract explicitly states that she is to be employed for the time that Hinata is absent from her position."

Hanabi glared at Tenten. "You won't last long here," she promised.

"Tenten and I have a meeting in 20 minutes," Neji said. "I would appreciate it if you left us some time to prepare.

Hanabi scoffed at him. "You're telling me to leave?"

"In essence," Neji confirmed. He crossed his arms, staring her down.

Hanabi left the room, not sparing Neji or Tenten another word. A satisfied smirk settled on her lips as she closed Neji's office door behind her. She had not mentioned it, but Hanabi was sure that she had seen Tenten before—that girl had been inside the Hyuuga mansion. Something strange was going on, and Hanabi was going to find out what.

Neji knew that it was unlike Hanabi to leave without having the last word. He hoped that she wasn't up to something-

"Why did you let her talk to you that way?" Tenten asked.

"Hanabi is likely to be chosen as head of the family after her father, since Hinata stepped down," Neji explained. "She is a main family member, and Hiashi greatly respects her opinion."

"So she was right, then?" Tenten said, unable to keep a little bit of shame from entering her voice. "About the Hyuuga not normally hiring regular people."

"Yes. I would never have allowed that recruitment ad if Kiba asked me."

"Oh," Tenten said, her voice wavering. Self-consciously, she wrapped her arms around herself. The advertisement she had been so thankful for that resulted in her getting this job was against company policy. "Right. It was just a mistake."

"One I am glad for," Neji whispered, "because it helped me find you."

Tenten switched her gaze to Neji immediately, almost thinking that she had imagined the words, but he was looking straight at her. Tenten felt her heart pounding in her chest. "Neji," she said quietly. She wanted nothing more than to be close to him, but she did not dare to move.

Memories of the way her body felt overtook Neji. He took a step toward her and stopped himself. There was something about Tenten that made him act on his emotions, but he needed his self-control.

Tenten understood his internal struggle, Neji's hesitation told her what he had chosen. She closed her eyes and smiled. "We're coworkers," she reminded him and herself.

"Yes," Neji acquiesced.

"The distance that you've put between us over the past two days is deliberate," Tenten voiced her thoughts, "because nothing should happen between us."

Neji did not say anything. Tenten understood. "You're making the right choice," she said. Her actions contradicted her words when she walked in front of Neji and rested her hand on his chest. Neji was entirely too aware of the pressure and feel of Tenten's lips as she kissed him on the cheek.

It lasted only a moment. Tenten was at her desk before he knew it. "We only have a few minutes before the meeting," she said, taking The Flash from her computer's port. "I'll go prep the room." Tenten left Neji standing stunned in his office.

* * *

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